As it came to light that police falsely reported that they had "made contact with the reporting party" and then closed the case of Jang Mi-ran (37), whose whereabouts have been unknown for more than three months since May, controversy is growing over a botched investigation. Even within the Democratic Party of Korea, which has led the abolition of prosecutors' authority to order supplementary investigations, voices emerged expressing concern about the police investigation and calling for remedies.
Lee Un-ju, a Democratic Party lawmaker, wrote on her Facebook page on the 23rd, "Do the police truly have the capability, ethics, and legal expertise to take full responsibility for investigative powers and close cases?" and "Public anxiety is growing even more because of this case," she said.
She added, "Even if the foundation of separating investigation and indictment is maintained, we must ensure close cooperation, involvement, and information sharing in the process can proceed smoothly," and "If necessary, we should amend the Criminal Procedure Act to supplement it." She continued, "Rather than rushing through the necessary parts, careful and meticulous review is needed."
Lawmaker Kang Deuk-gu also wrote on Facebook that day, "We must properly ascertain the substance of the case, including whether the procedures from the start of the investigation to its closure were appropriate, including the process by which police unilaterally closed and deleted the missing-person report, and whether anything was missed."
He went on, "This should not end as an issue of an individual case; it is time to reexamine the entire structure in which investigative bodies close cases on their own and to prepare remedies," adding, "Recent polls also confirm public demands for strengthening fairness and accountability in investigations and improving the investigative system." However, Kang deleted the post in less than an hour after uploading it.
The People Power Party also continued to criticize the lack of checks and balances among investigative bodies. People Power Party Spokesperson Cho Yong-sul said in a commentary that day, "The breakdown of police discipline for the convenience of investigations ultimately returns intact as pain for the public," adding, "What is even more problematic is that this case cannot be dismissed as merely the deviation of a single police officer."
He added, "The Lee Jae-myung administration has swiftly abolished the prosecution's supplementary investigation function and is facing public criticism that even the supporting legislation is inadequate," and "Already, the evil of the police conducting 'self-investigations' into internal wrongdoing and drawing conclusions is occurring."
Meanwhile, Jang, who went missing in Jeju, has not been located for more than three months after leaving her home on the afternoon of May 12. On the 22nd, a man who had gone missing in Jeju was found dead after 51 days, but it became known that the same police who falsely closed Jang's case handled that case as well, intensifying controversy over the police investigation and case closure process.